Canavan Trudi - The Traitor Queen

Eventually a warning would get through, Lorkin knew. Maybe an Ashaki would mentally send a warning, either broadcasting it or communicating through a blood ring. Even if Savara’s team managed to kill them before they got the chance, other teams might not. Once the news got ahead of the advancing Traitors, nothing would stop it spreading to the city. When it did, the Traitors would not be attacking one or two magicians at each estate, but an army of them. Which was why the shadow on the road ahead had set his heart racing.

He focused on Tyvara’s mind and sensed eager expectation, with only a small pang of worry. No more Traitors have died, he caught. But it won’t be long… She noticed him frowning at her, and smiled.

“Don’t worry. It’s just another team. As we all get closer to the city, teams will meet and join up.”

Relieved, he turned to watch as the other Traitors approached. Shadows resolved into figures on horseback. Riders became women and men. Faces became recognisable. He heard Tyvara curse at the same time as he realised one face was familiar.

“What is she doing here?” he muttered.

Tyvara sighed. “Kalia’s punishment was suspended for the duration of the invasion,” she told him. “As was mine. It would be unfortunate if we lost, but for the power of two magicians.”

He watched as Kalia’s eyes moved over Savara’s group, then her expression turned sour as she saw him and Tyvara.

“We are all on the same side,” Tyvara said. “But I do wish Kalia had been put in a team attacking the opposite side of the city,” she added in a lower tone.

Savara turned to look at them both. “I will be keeping an eye on her. And an ear.” She looked back at the approaching team and urged her horse forward to meet them. To Lorkin’s relief, the woman who came to meet her was not Kalia. It was Speaker Halana, leader of the stone-makers.

“At least she’s not leading the team,” he said.

Tyvara chuckled. “We aren’t that stupid.”

Halana placed a hand over her heart briefly, then took hold of the reins again to guide her horse to a stop next to Savara’s mount.

“Any news?” Savara asked.

“We’ve lost Vilanya and Sarva,” Halana replied. “They were ambushed.”

“So the Ashaki are warned.”

“Most likely. Any trouble?”

“A few slaves getting a little too eager,” Savara replied. She sighed. “Those in one estate killed an entire family and the head slave, who was one of our allies. I told them this isn’t our intention, but I don’t think they were listening.”

Halana nodded. “There will be more trouble of that kind. I have been hinting that we want to deal with the families ourselves, later.”

“That might work, so long as they don’t take on the role of jailor too enthusiastically.” Savara looked around. “Let’s continue.”

The two groups mingled to become one. Lorkin noted that Kalia positioned herself so that Savara and Halana were between her and Tyvara. The two leaders discussed what they would do if freed slaves were unable to provide the Traitors with food. Not long had passed when Savara suddenly spoke loud enough for all to hear.

“What is this problem you are discussing, Kalia?”

Lorkin looked over to see the woman glance at him, then back at the queen. Her back straightened.

“We have a non-Traitor among us. I was merely advising Cyria that she be careful.”

“Cyria need not be wary of anybody here. We are all Traitors.”

“Lorkin is Kyralian.”

“Kyralian born. Now a Traitor. There are ex-slaves and women who were formerly wives and sisters of the Ashaki among us. All chose to join us. All are needed.”

“But he is a Guild magician, and a man.”

Savara smiled. “If my meeting with his mother had achieved its purpose, we would be marching toward Arvice along with many hundred Guild magicians, among them quite a few men. Would so much masculine company alarm you, Kalia?”

“Of course not! Though I would not so easily trust them, as you might.” Kalia gave Savara a sidelong look. “So… the Guild won’t go to war with the Ashaki. And he is still here? Are you sure he isn’t a spy?”

“I am sure.”

“Do you really expect…?” Kalia fell silent as one of the Traitors at the rear called Savara’s name. All turned to see the man pointing back along the road. Several hundred strides back, a cloud of dust billowed up behind a rider galloping toward them.

“Stop,” Savara ordered. “And shield.”

It was not long before the rider reached them, the horse slowing to a walk, sides heaving and dark with sweat. The rider was a young man wearing fine clothing, but his build and colouring suggested he was an ex-slave.

“Queen Savara,” he said, placing a hand over his heart briefly. “I have been sent to warn you that two Kyralians are following you.” He paused to think. “Black Magician Sonea and Asha — Lord Regin. We tried to keep them at the estate, but they disobeyed our order to stay and forced their way out with magic.”

Lorkin suppressed a sigh. He should have expected it. But if I couldn’t let Tyvara go to war without me, why would I expect my mother to do the same?

“Was anyone hurt?”

The man shook his head.

Kalia muttered something. Savara stared at the woman through narrowed eyes. Then she turned to Lorkin, her eyebrows rising in question.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. She didn’t say she was planning to follow me — us.”

“Spy,” Kalia said.

The queen scowled. “Enough, Kalia.” She looked around the group, her gaze settling on two of the Traitors, one male and one female. “Saral, Temi. Go meet Black Magician Sonea and ask her to explain herself.” She reached into a pouch at her waist and drew out a ring. As she tossed it to the woman, a glint of yellow reflected the sunlight. “Use this to tell me what they say.”

The pair nodded and, frowing with obvious annoyance at the task, rode away with the messenger. Savara nudged her horse into a walk and set her gaze on the road ahead. In grim silence, the two teams continued, heading for the next estate, and the next battle.

Lilia drew in a deep breath and sighed it out again as she set pen to paper and tried to make sense of her notes from the morning’s Healing demonstration. Though the number of subjects she was studying had been reduced and her graduation delayed, she still found it hard to concentrate at times like these.

It was easier to be motivated when I thought I might choose the Healing discipline. Now that I won’t get to choose a discipline at all, what’s the point? She’d be a black magician, and it was more important that she was ready to fight than Heal. Not that I’ve suddenly become enthusiastic about Warrior lessons. But these new lessons with Kallen have been interesting. Perhaps because there is a lot we can discover about black magic. It’s not as though the Guild has been studying it for centuries and knows everything about it.

This morning’s Healing demonstration had been on a man who had been stabbed accidentally during a sword-fighting lesson. The wooden practice sword had pierced the toughened leather armour, but hadn’t penetrated deeply. It was a rare occurrence. A slash with a sword usually slid across the armour, and stabs weren’t supposed to be made with full force. But he’d been leaping toward his fighting partner, who had been angry and used more force than he’d realised.

A quick, forceful stab, she thought. Which is what I want to do with magic, instead of using a knife, to break the skin’s natural barrier before using black magic to take power. Something caught her attention, and she looked up to find the teacher watching her. She realised she had been staring at nothing, her notes forgotten. And thinking about how to kill someone with black magic.